COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT OF SAFETY CLIMATE OF CASUAL AND PERMANENT CONSTRUCTION WORKERS IN SOUTH-EAST NIGERIA (Published)
The use of flexible work arrangement outside the array of standard work arrangement has been linked to high rate of accidents on construction sites and unsafe behaviours. To this end, this study examines and compares the safety climate of casual and permanent construction workers with a view to ascertaining if there is any disparity in their responses to safety issues on site, the causes and the implications on the industry and society as a whole. The study was a survey research. The respondents were site operatives which were randomly selected from 80 construction sites across the South East Nigeria. A total of 861 questionnaires were duly completed, returned and found suitable for analysis out of 1200 issued, representing a response rate of 71.75%. The data collected were statistically analyzed using ONE WAY ANOVA at 5% (0.05) significance level. The study established that there is significant disparity in the safety behaviours of casual and permanent construction workers on sites due to perceived difference in the level of organizations’ safety obligations in terms of management commitment, workers involvement and safety education and training which arises due workers’ job nomenclature . It recommended a holistic readjustment in the employment system to close the gaps between casual employers and full time employers in terms of management commitment, workers involvement, education and training, welfare benefits, basic salary, working condition, etc (equal treatments) as its being practiced in New Zealand through the labour loading.
Keywords: Casual, Construction workers, Flexible Work, Labour Loading, Permanent, Safety Climate